Today we are evaluating the newest version of CacheCade, a storage caching system developed by LSI for use with their MegaRAID controllers. This system aims to create the perfect fusion between HDD capacity and SSD speed, accelerating new or existing storage subsystems that are already in place.

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CacheCade Pro is a new technology that falls into a category of “Tiered Storage” and allows for another ‘Tier’ of cache to be built upon a current HDD subsystem. Currently in a typical large enterprise server, you have RAID controllers connected to large mass arrays of HDD that serve data out to ‘customers’. There is a level of cache that is built into the controller, however, this amount of cache is very small. It is usually around 1GB, and rarely above 4 GB of RAM, and mainly used to alleviate high write loads. On server arrays where the amount of data can go into hundreds of Terabytes, the 1-4GB of cache is rather inconsequential.

hey guys, this new program allows users to use SSDs as a layer of cache with their HDD RAID arrays! Truly cool stuff

Originally Posted by Snowmen;14573740
I always thought using an SSD as a buffer to increase write speed was the thing to do and it took so long to do that... I mean it sounds pretty simple. -.-

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Originally Posted by linkdiablo;14573771
I'm pretty sure you're not considering ... wait a minute. It really sounds that simple.

It's not simple. You have to consider caching algorithm (what to parameters to check, what to cache, when not to cache, where to cache, how often to check) and coherency of volatile RAM and HDD/SSD (especially in case of power loss, knowing where data resides at any given point). All this while making it virtually transparent to the OS.

In addition, you then have to certify this for enterprise use (lots of testing).Edited by DuckieHo - 8/13/11 at 6:05pm